The United Way of the Adirondack Region is inviting people to participate in a unique fundraising event: rappelling down one of Plattsburgh’s tallest buildings.
Lakeview Towers is a 9 story, 100-foot-tall building on the south end of the city. United Way President and CEO John Bernardi says they are planning a new fundraising event at the site.
“We will have people from across the region rappelling off the top of this building right behind me. We’re very excited about it,” Bernardi said. “It’s a fun and interesting way to engage the regional community in the important work that we’re doing to raise funds for needs across the region.”
The United Way has engaged Over the Edge, a professional urban rappelling company that partners with nonprofits for fundraising events.
United Way Outreach Specialist Bryan Hartman volunteered at an Over the Edge event last October.
“Everyone gets a body harness attached to two different ropes. Every participant will go through a training prior to even getting close to the edge of the building. And you’ll practice how to use the devices and so forth. You basically then walk down the side of the building,” Hartman explained.
Bernardi added, “You can control your own speed and you have control while you’re rappelling.”
Rappelling down a building is not much different than the rock-climbing hobby that United Way Board Member Holly Black enjoys.
“That first overwhelming experience as soon as you tilt your bum a little bit over, it’s a little...thrilling, I’ll use that word. It’s thrilling. And then as you get going it is just, really, just overwhelming when you can look around and you take your time when you’re doing it, look out at our lovely landscape that we have here. It’s actually fun,” Black said. ”It’s just the initial kind of tilting back that’s like Oh My Goodness! But once you get through that it’s great, super easy.”
Officials are hoping to raise $75,000 from the event to kick off their fall campaign. Bernardi says what is raised from Over the Edge will go to the United Way’s Community Impact Fund.
“Which is used to address high priority human service needs across the region,” Bernardi explained. “Housing related matters are a priority. Mental health continues to be a big priority and substance abuse counseling as well. Food insecurity. That’s just a sampling of some of the challenges that people are facing.”
Seventy people have already signed up for the Saturday, September 13th event and organizers hope 90 people will be willing to rappel down the outside façade of Lakeview Towers.
Board member Sue LeBlanc Durocher offered a challenge to recruit rappelers.
“Wouldn’t you just like to throw your boss over the edge?” pondered Durocher. “ I mean, no, no, not throw them over the edge. Guide them over the edge. This is your chance to help push your boss really over the edge.”
